Lab21 buys Myconostica

Personalised medicine firm Lab21 has acquired Myconostica, a molecular diagnostic company focusing on the diagnosis of fungal infections, for an undisclosed sum

Personalised medicine firm Lab21 has acquired Myconostica, a molecular diagnostic company focusing on the diagnosis of fungal infections, for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition provides the company's first set of nucleic acid-based assays and will provide manufacturing capabilities to develop and produce its range of new biomarker assays.

Lab21 will launch the Myconostica fungal testing services from its new reference laboratory in South Carolina, as well as its laboratory in Cambridge, UK.

Graham Mullis, chief executive of Lab21, said: "We are delighted that we have acquired Myconostica. The company's products complement our infectious diseases portfolio and help position the Company in a large market where there are significant clinical challenges."

The deal is Lab21's sixth acquisition in the past two years.

Myconostica has three products on the market in Europe, Canada and Southern Africa, which were launched in 2010. These include a product for extracting fungal DNA from human samples and tests for the detection of Aspergillus and Pneumocystis jirovecii.